Insulated curtain wall assembly



June 20, 1961 e. MOSTOLLER INSULATED CURTAIN WALL ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 21, 1959 IN V EN TOR.

George Mosfoller h. I 20/I4 his ATTORNEY United States PatentO INSULATED CURTAIN WALL ASSEMBLY George Mostoller, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Elwin G. Smith & Company, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa.

Filed Dec. 21, 1959, Ser. No. 860,827 1 Claim. (Cl. 189-34) This invention relates to an exterior wall construction, such as an insulated wall of vertically extending, interlocked metal panels, and, more particularly, relates to a unitary fastening means for holding the component parts of the wall together.

An outstanding disadvantage in assembling the parts of an insulated metal panel wall of conventional construction is that they require a plurality of various types of fastening means for holding the wall parts together, such as sub-girts which are welded to the metal panels or to the building itself, and, in addition, screws, welded joints and other fastening means, which considerably increase the time for erection of the wall, as well as increasing the cost for erection.

An object of my invention is to provide an insulated metal panel wall construction or assembly, sometimes referred to as a curtain wall, which is devoid of the above named disadvantages and which requires no welding or additional fastening parts, such as sub-girts.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel fastening means in the form of a unitary clip for holding together all of the component parts of an insulated metal panel wall, such as the back panel, the insulation and the exterior metal panel so that the single clip will provide numerous fastening functions, namely to fasten the metal back panel to the structural building frame, to hold the insulation in place and prevent its vertical displacement, to fasten and hold the exterior panels in place, to space the exterior panels from the backing panels, and to provide a support on which to lay the various exterior panels, as well as to provide a concealed fastening means which does not mar the beauty of the finished wall.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent from a study of the following description taken with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an insulated metal panel exterior wall construction wherein the exterior panel on the right hand side is removed to more clearly show the fastening means embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal, cross-sectionalview of the panel shown in FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, perspective view of the novel fastening clip shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and embodying the principles of the present invention.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, numeral 1 denotes an interior back panel of metal, such as 18 or 20 gauge galvanized steel or aluminum, having a relatively flat surface and having a perpendicular side flange 2 on one side and a reversely bent perpendicular flange *3 on the other side which may be interlocked, as shown. If desired, the interlocked joints may be caulked. Vertical reinforcing ribs 4 may be provided to add additional rigidity, if desired. The interlocked side flanges may be rigidly fastened together by die clinching, such as by button punches 5 at vertical intervals of about 3 or 4 feet.

Bats of insulation 6, such as those of glass fibers, rock wool, etc., are closely fitted between the side flanges of the back panel 1 and are preferably made slightly wider than the distance between the flanges so as to form a tight fit whereby the bats may be at least temporarily held in place solely by friction of the back panel.

Patented June 20, 1961 Exterior panels 8 are provided which have any desired contour for enhancing the architectural beauty. Panels 8 are each provided, at one side, with an outwardly extending flange 11, and at the other side, with a reversibly bent, outwardly extending flange 10 so that adjoining flanges may be interlocked, as shown. Such interlocked flanges may be die clinched at 13 at 3 or 4 foot intervals for providing lateral continuity and strength. Panels 8 may be made of galvanized steel, embossed or plain finished aluminum, aluminized stainless steel, plastic or any other suitable material.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the specific construction of clip 14, which is shown in more detail in FIG. 3. The clip 14 is preferably of metal and is provided with a flange 15 which has a reversely bent portion 16 which is adapted to serve as a clamp or stop against the edge of the side flange 12 of the exterior panel 8, as shown more clearly in FIG. 1. Flange 15 is punched out centrally to provide an integral tab 17 which is adapted to serve as a support for wall panel 8 and as a spacing element for the outside and inside panels, as shown more clearly in FIG. 2, to maintain a minimum spacing and thereby prevent crushing of the insulating bat 6 as might occur otherwise when abnormally tightening fastening screws through the outside panels. A hole 19 is provided in the flange which is at right angles to flange 15 so as to enable passing therethrough of a screw 20, such as a self-tapping screw, which is adapted to screw directly into the structural frame of the building, such as a girt portion thereof, which is located along the line shown in the dot and dash outline in FIG. 2. Side wings or extensions 18- are provided for the purpose of piercing the insulation as well as to provide a firm base support for the clip on the backing panel 1 and which are effective to prevent vertical (or horizontal) displacement of the insulating bats 6.

A unique feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the clip 14 is the only fastening means required for holding all of the parts of the wall assembly together as well as for fastening the assembly to the girt or other structural part of the building steel frame.

In operation, in order to assemble the wall parts the first backing panel 1 erected, shown on the left hand side, is fastened by self-tapping screws or the like to the structural frame of the building, this being the only additional fastening means required, inasmuch as subsequent panels are held to the first backing panel, merely by die clinching the interlocked side flanges 2, 3, that is to say, the second, third, fourth backing panel etc. will require no fastening means for fastening them to the structural steel building. After the various backing panels have been assembled, the insulating bats 6 are put in place and sandwiched tightly between the side flanges 2, 3 of the backing panels and are temporarily held thereto solely by friction. The exterior panels are held together and fastened to the structural frame of the building solely by fastening clips 14. The exterial panels are successively assembled, much in the same manner as the back panels. The interlocked side flanges may be caulked if desired. The reversibly bent part 16 of the clip will hold the side flange 12 in place and the self-tapping screw 20 is passed through hole 19 and screwed into the structural frame of the building. The clip extensions 18 will pierce the insulation bat 6 to hold it securely in place. A plurality of vertically spaced clips are fastened to each outside panel before the next adjoining panel is erected. After one panel 8 is fastened by clips 14, and die clinched at 13 along vertical intervals, another panel is interlocked therewith and additional clips are fastened at vertical intervals along the opposite side which will be concealed by the subsequently placed outer panel.

Thus, for any of the intermediate panels, it will be seen 2,989,157 r a l that the sole fastening means for holding the various parts together and for holding the assembly to the structural steel frame is the clip itself, no other fastening means being required.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an efiicient exterior wall assembly, such as an insulated curtain wall comprising metal backing panels, insulation bats and metal exterior panels, all of which parts are held together and fastened to the structural building frame solely by means of inexpensive clips of such construction as to afford numerous fastening and spacing functions, therefore taking the place of a variety and multiplicity of fastening means required for the same purposes in conventional outside metal panel wallconstructions.

While I have illustrated and described a single specific embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that this is by way of illustration only, and that various changes and modifications may be made within the contemplation of my invention and within the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

In a wall construction comprising a plurality of back panels having interlocking side flanges, bats of insulation 4. extending between said side flanges, a plurality of outer panels having interlocking side flanges, in combination, a plurality of clips, each having a reversely bent flange portion directly clamping a side. flange of one of said panels, a struck out portion at right angles directly supporting an interior surface portion of 'an outside panel, anintegral, ledge portion at right angles to said flange portion supporting the inner surface of an adjoining outside panel, and integral extensions at right angles thereto piercing said bats of insulation and which are directly supported on said back panels, said ledge portion having a hole and a fastening element extending through said hole for fastening the clip directly to a structural frame portion of a building, said clips constituting means for fastening together and to the structural frame portion, the back panels, outside panels and insulating bats.

Macleod Apr. 6, 1954 Cross Feb. 3, 1959 

